Healthy churches should be reproducing themselves by starting other healthy churches. Jeff Iorg points out in his book The Case for Antioch: A Biblical Model for a Transformational Church
that "The people in Antioch progressed from being an object of missionary outreach to a church sending missionaries while still first-generation believers." And what did these missionaries do? They started new churches. And who were these missionaries? Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:2-3). Their leaders! This young church sent their leaders out to plant new churches! Iorg states it this way, "Antioch sent its best leaders to carry the gospel to new cities, plant new churches, make disciples in new places, and later appoint elders in those churches."Compare this to what happens in most churches today. We take our best leaders, appoint them to every committee and board they will agree to, and bog them down in the maintenance tasks of our churches. We do this because we lack the vision to see the ministry possibilities that exist in the planting of new churches and because we are afraid of losing the leaders we have serving in our churches. We've done such a poor job of developing leaders and have so few in the pipeline that we want to keep the leaders we do have for ourselves.
I occasionally ask churches to consider starting a new church in a neighboring community. Although I am always promised by the leadership that they will consider it, not once has a church followed through and actually attempted to start the new church. They are so bogged down in their own church business that they never discern a vision for how their starting a new church in another community could advance the Kingdom of God.
A few years ago our judicatory was involved in a church re-start. After the church was closed for a couple of years it reopened with people from several neighboring churches serving as a core group who could provide leadership. Although the re-start struggled for a few years, today it has grown to the point where it is near capacity and needs additional space. Nearly all the core group has returned to their churches, and the church is operating with new Christians.
Every church, regardless of size or age, can be, and should be, involved in planting new churches. Perhaps your church is too small to start a church by itself, but it can cooperate with other churches to start a new church in a nearby community. And who should you send? If you follow the example of the church at Antioch you will send some of your leadership.
What would being involved in planting a new church do for your church? I believe it would create a sense of excitement that is not always found in some smaller churches. They would be involved in the birth of something new and exciting rather than wondering how long they will mange to keep their own doors open. It would energize the younger people in your church as they witness your commitment to the work of the Kingdom and as they hear the stories of changed lives through the ministry of the new church. It would encourage new persons to be interested in developing as leaders as they see the leaders of your church involved in more than maintenance activities. It would lead to increased giving as people could see the important work their money was funding. I believe a church that is committed to planting new churches would see a transformation that would take place in their church that would be every bit as exciting as seeing the new church take off.
Should your church be involved in planting new churches? Yes. Look around you and find communities that are underserved by good Bible-believing churches. Talk to your denominational leadership to see if they have identified areas that need new churches. Begin to pray about where God would have you start a new church and start talking to your leadership and congregation about how your church can be involved in this work. Today is not too soon to begin.
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